After we left the Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, we went to the Potteries.
The Potteries is more than just the pottery market, although it is that as well. You can also find metalwork, tile and mosaics, basket and trellis weaving, rugs and of course locally made lamps, plates, bowls, vases, platters, and much more.
We were in a hurry. We’d spent more time than intended at the hospital, and it was already late afternoon. We had to be back by 6 so that I could go along to sign the rental contract on our new place. So we were a bit rushed, but it was okay. I was there long enough to get a feel for the place, and know I definitely want to go back.
A fun atelier
They make rugs and trellises and shopping baskets, too.
Our new place has a lovely terrace; picture us having our morning coffee out there on this sweet little table. And there’s a lovely fountain rather like the one pictured here (to the back) in the garden, although on the landlord’s side.
Yeah. Works for me too.
Oh yes, she said all casually, we do have a house. At last. En fin. We have keys and a friendly, helpful landlord who lives on the bottom floor and there’s even a daffodil blooming in the garden. My favorite flower. I tried to force them to grow (you know, when you put them in the freezer for 6 weeks to mess with their little minds so they think it’s winter) in Mauritania for years, without success. We move in Sunday, which is the twins’ 12th birthday. Ironically, on Elliot’s 12th birthday, we left our house in Mauritania. 20 months of being unsettled, saying things like “If I lived here…”, over at last. Ça y est. I must admit enjoying it when life is symmetrical like this.
And you might get sick of me in the next few days. I’m going to try to post every day, so that you won’t even miss me when I go an as-yet-undetermined period of time without internet next week. This will be in between buying everything needed to furnish a house at least minimally, until we can finally get our household items from Mauritania, where they’ve spent the last 20 months in a friend’s garage.
The only thing I bought at the Potteries this time was some clay for Ilsa. For about 50 cents she got an enormous lump of it, and spent the next morning happily making things.
16 comments
February 27, 2009 at 2:35 pm
suburbancorrespondent
You need an IKEA…
February 27, 2009 at 3:01 pm
jean
I’m so happy to hear you finally have a home. How long will you be staying?
February 27, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Tonggu Momma
I’m so glad y’all found a place to live! Congrats.
February 27, 2009 at 3:37 pm
jolyn
Forget ikea, I’ll take the potteries any day.
My daughter, too, would love to get lost in a lump of clay.
Looking forward to reading about and seeing pictures of the new place! Is your stuff from Mauritania being shipped to you? Or is a trip there in the works…
February 27, 2009 at 3:43 pm
suz
Looks like a wonderful place! thanks for the pictures~my kids loved clay!
February 27, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Kelly @ Love Well
Do you think a virtual welcome-home meal will make do?
Have fun moving in! I bet you discover all kinds of stuff you’ve forgotten about when your boxes from Mauritania arrive.
February 27, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Kit
Hooray – a place to breathe out at last! The Potteries looks great – I love terracotta pots – daffodils too, but they don’t do well here either.
February 27, 2009 at 4:49 pm
LIB
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW HOME! I want to adapt Kelly’s suggestion and ask for a virtual new home tour.
Oh–and getting tired of your posts? Not possible.
February 27, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Robin
Congratulations! I’m sending over a virtual plant for your new balcony :).
February 27, 2009 at 6:29 pm
meredith
Yay for the house!
February 27, 2009 at 6:57 pm
stephanie
I won’t get sick of you! I just found you and LOVE your blog! (Maybe I live a little vicariously through you… I would LOVE to be a nomad, too bad I met and married Mr. Homebody)… That being said, I love to see your newest adventures!
Keep it up… And Ilsa with the clay… I have a daughter roughly the same age as her… They would have fun together.
February 27, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Carrie
Yay, you guys have a home! I am SOOOO happy for you all! I pray all the moving & unpacking go well!
The Potteries look wonderful. . . I would have a hard time not buying way too much there! I hope Ilsa has a blast with the clay, I miss clay myself! (though, I have been painting more, which has been great!)
I hope you guys get to go back to Mauritania. That would be a surreal trip, I bet!
February 27, 2009 at 11:04 pm
LG
Great news! And the potteries look magnificent. Are you heading up here on the next school break?
February 28, 2009 at 12:29 am
Nan
Oh, I have such a weakness for basketry. Sigh. Congratulations on having a HOME! Yay! Hope you have a housewarming party? With huge vat of that coffee? Three huge vats. Make it a coffee-warming party.
Sean is heading back to Mauritania for a while, and then to Libya. I wonder what Libya’s like?
February 28, 2009 at 2:23 am
Beck
Oh, hooray! You have a place FINALLY!
And that open air shop – wow. I just stared and stared at the pictures. You should invite me to come and visit, you know.
March 8, 2009 at 6:04 am
Michelle Mitchell
This reminds me how I”ve been looking for a tangine here. They had one at this high-end cooking store for $70 and it was just this terra cotta thing. I thought of you and how you must be able to get them everywhere in Morrocco!